A potential staffing crisis on the Children’s Ward at St John’s Hospital could be averted after NHS Lothian announced it was close to recruiting more medical staff.

Last November the health board announced it was facing staff shortages in paediatrics due to higher than expected maternity leave and other recruitment issues. It has led to fears that the paediatric unit, which had to be closed overnight for three weeks in July due to similar problems, could be permanently downgraded.

Following that closure, NHS Lothian said children’s medical services were to revert back to normal and news that paediatric services at St John’s was facing further staff shortages provoked fury amongst politicians.

After the Scottish Government coughed up £600,000 of additional funding, a worldwide recruitment drive was launched in an attempt to find enough doctors to staff the under-threat children’s ward.

And this week the health board revealed interviews with potential candidates are due to start this week, a move welcomed across the political spectrum.

Almond Valley MSP Angela Constance said: “This is good news for paediatric services at St John’s Hospital and the people of West Lothian will be re-assured that extra doctors are on their way. Moving to a paediatric service that is reliant on qualified doctors as opposed to trainees is a firm foundation for the future of the service.

“It’s encouraging that there have been substantial interests in positions at St John’s following the national and international recruitment campaign which the Scottish Government has invested heavily in.

“I very much welcome the firm action taken by the Health Secretary on this matter and the additional £600,000 to support the recruitment of much needed doctors.”

Her SNP MSP colleague for Linlithgow, Fiona Hyslop, added: “This additional investment in resources and qualified doctors makes clear a long term commitment to 24/7 paediatric services at St John’s.

“This is a matter of vital importance to families across West Lothian and I am heartened that NHS Lothian with Scottish Government support has pulled out all the stops to ensure our children continue to receive the very best of locally delivered healthcare.

“There is a great paediatric service at St John’s and the doctors and nurses do a fantastic job, often above and beyond the call of duty, and I am glad that extra help is on its way.”

West Lothian Council leader John McGinty said he welcomed the “U-turn” from the health board and SNP-led Scottish Government but warned against complacency on the issue.

Councillor McGinty said: “There is no doubt that we are now witnessing a massive U-turn from NHS Lothian and the Scottish Government over their plans to downgrade paediatric services at St John’s. The commitment to work to find a way forward is in stark contrast to the position being considered only a few months ago and is a direct result of pressure put on by the council, local MSP Neil Findlay and the public.

“I welcome this change of heart, however we cannot be complacent as we have been here before with assurances that the issue has been sorted. The fact is that NHS Lothian themselves consider that their ability to provide ongoing paediatric services will remain at significant risk, and believe that even with these new measures, that we could still be several years away from having a sustainable staffing model in place.

“The greatest irony however is that the SNP, who condemned those who stood up in defence of paediatric services at St John’s and accused people of scaremongering when they spoke out about threat to the service, are now rushing to try to take the credit for sorting out a problem that they denied ever existed in the first place.”

Dr David Farquharson, Medical Director, NHS Lothian, said: “We are pleased with the international response to our recruitment campaign and are confident that we will be appointing new staff to join the paediatric and neonatal teams at St John’s in the near future.

“The NHS Lothian Board has reinforced its commitment to the sustainable delivery of a 24/7 children’s ward and maternity service at St John’s Hospital time and time again.

“We have engaged with stakeholders throughout this process and the safety of patients will remain our top priority in all the decisions we take.”